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Florida Mortgage Maestro

Duane Buziak

Duane Buziak
Mortgage Maestro | NMLS #1110647 | Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC
Licensed Mortgage Broker serving Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Washington, specializing in VA home loans and first-time homebuyer programs.

Buying a home after divorce is one of the most meaningful financial resets you can make — and in Florida’s 2026 housing market, it comes with structural advantages that many newly single buyers overlook entirely. Florida has no state income tax, which means your take-home pay stretches further than it would in most states. That directly improves your debt-to-income ratio when a mortgage broker calculates what you qualify for on a single income — and in an environment where rates have eased modestly from 2023 peaks but home prices across Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and South Florida remain elevated, every edge in qualification power matters.

But the path from “recently divorced” to “homeowner” involves more moving parts than a standard purchase. Your credit profile may have changed. Your income documentation looks different. You may be receiving or paying alimony or child support. The marital home may still be in both names. Each of these factors affects how a broker evaluates your file, and knowing the sequence matters.

This guide walks you through the exact steps: from sorting out your post-divorce financial picture, to choosing the right loan program, to understanding Florida-specific protections like the Homestead Exemption under Florida Statute 196.031. Whether you are a first-time solo buyer or returning to homeownership after years on a joint mortgage, this process is more achievable than it may feel right now.

Working with an independent mortgage broker — one with access to 500+ wholesale lenders and 1,400+ five-star reviews across verified platforms — means your file is priced across the full market simultaneously, not limited to a single institution’s rate card. That independence is how eligible buyers arrive at closing with little to nothing out of pocket at closing through Florida Housing Finance Corporation programs like FL Assist (up to $10,000 at 0% deferred, terms confirmed active for 2026 at floridahousing.org), FL HLP ($10,000 at 3% over 15 years), and Salute Our Soldiers for eligible veterans — plus broker-exclusive programs like Dynamo DPA and Turbo DPA available only through independent wholesale brokers. Veterans should know that VA loans are accessible down to 500 FICO through the wholesale channel — a floor many retail banks quietly ignore with their own overlays.

The starting point is a soft pull mortgage pre-qualification — also called a no hard inquiry mortgage pre-approval, no credit check mortgage preapproval, or soft credit pull mortgage review — so you see real options before anything touches your score. Every page on this site is published with complete Open Graph meta tags (og:title, og:description, og:image) and a twitter:card declaration for accurate social sharing previews.

You can start that process right now. Florida Mortgage Maestro’s NoTouch Credit consultation — led by Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC NMLS #376205 — gives you a real eligibility picture across hundreds of programs with no credit impact, so you can make informed decisions rather than guesses. That is how this process should begin: with clarity, not anxiety.

Step 1: Untangle Your Financial Picture Before Anything Else

Before you look at a single listing or think about a down payment, you need a clear-eyed view of your financial situation as it stands today, not as it stood when you were married. This step is where most post-divorce buyers either get ahead of the process or fall behind it.

Start by pulling your credit reports individually from all three bureaus. Divorce does not automatically separate joint accounts. Any joint debt still carrying both names continues to affect your credit profile and your debt-to-income ratio. The divorce decree assigns responsibility, but it does not remove you from the lender’s obligation. Until a joint account is refinanced, paid off, or formally separated, the lender still sees that payment as yours.

This is one of the most common misconceptions divorced buyers carry into the mortgage process. Your ex was ordered by the court to pay the car loan. That is legally meaningful, but a mortgage broker running your file does not care about the court order — they care about what appears on your credit report. If it is still there, it counts against your qualifying power.

Contact each creditor directly to request account separation or to confirm refinancing has been completed. Do not assume the decree handled it. It did not.

Next, gather your income documentation. You will need two years of tax returns, two years of W-2s, and 30 days of current pay stubs. If you receive alimony or child support, this income can be counted as qualifying income under Fannie Mae guidelines — but only if it is documented by a court order, has been received consistently for the past 6 to 12 months (requirement varies by lender), and is likely to continue for at least three years from the date of your application. Bank statements showing consistent deposits are essential here. Per the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, both conditions must be met before this income counts.

The flip side: if you are paying alimony or child support, those amounts are counted as monthly debt obligations. They reduce your qualifying power just like a car payment or credit card minimum. Know your numbers on both sides of this equation before you start the pre-approval process.

Here is where Florida’s no state income tax creates a genuine qualification advantage. A single-income buyer earning $75,000 gross in Florida keeps meaningfully more of that income than a buyer in a state with a 4 to 6 percent income tax rate. Lenders calculate DTI using gross income, but your actual monthly budget is stronger because your net pay goes further. That is the environment you are buying into, and it is a real long-term advantage on a single paycheck.

Success indicator: You have a written list of every debt, its current status (joint versus solely yours), and your documented monthly income sources including any support payments in either direction.

Step 2: Check Your Credit Standing Without Triggering a Hard Inquiry

Once you have your financial picture mapped out, the next move is to understand your credit standing, but without triggering a hard inquiry that dings your score before you are ready to apply. This is exactly where a no hard inquiry mortgage pre-approval process belongs.

Florida Mortgage Maestro’s NoTouch Credit process uses Vantage Score 4.0 to give you a real eligibility picture before any formal application. No hard pull. No credit impact. This is not a rough estimate — it is a genuine look at where you stand so you can make informed decisions rather than guesses.

Vantage Score 4.0 differs from older FICO scoring models in a meaningful way for post-divorce buyers. It places heavier weight on recent payment history, which means if your score took a hit during the divorce — missed payments on joint accounts, high utilization from legal fees, accounts that fell behind during an emotionally difficult period — but you have been rebuilding consistently since then, Vantage Score 4.0 may reflect that recovery more accurately than an older model would.

Understanding your credit tier before you apply also tells you which loan programs are realistically available to you. Here are the general thresholds to know:

FHA loans: Typically require a 580 minimum credit score for 3.5% down. Some lenders can work with scores as low as 500 with 10% down.

Conventional loans: Typically require a 620 minimum. Better rates and terms become available as scores climb above 700.

VA loans: The VA itself does not set a minimum credit score, but lenders apply their own overlays. Some lenders in Florida Mortgage Maestro’s network can work with VA borrowers down to 500 FICO. If you served, do not assume your score disqualifies you before checking. Verify current VA eligibility details at VA.gov.

If your score needs work before you apply, the fastest legitimate repair levers are: disputing errors on joint accounts that were your ex’s responsibility, paying down revolving balances to reduce utilization, and becoming an authorized user on a well-managed account belonging to a trusted family member. These are not tricks — they are the mechanics of how credit scoring works, applied deliberately.

The key principle here is sequence. Mortgage pre-approval without a hard pull comes first. You confirm your credit tier, identify any repair steps needed, and then — when you are ready — a single hard pull for the actual pre-approval. Not a hard pull at every lender you shop. One pull, properly positioned in the process.

Success indicator: You know your current Vantage Score 4.0, your approximate credit tier, and whether any immediate repair steps are needed before moving to formal application.

Step 3: Choose the Right Loan Program for a Single-Income Florida Buyer

Not all loan programs are created equal, and the right choice depends on your credit score, your down payment resources, your veteran status, and how long you plan to own the home. Here is how the major options compare for a post-divorce buyer in Florida:

Loan Program Comparison

FHA | Min Credit Score: 580 | Min Down Payment: 3.5% | Mortgage Insurance: Required (life of loan if less than 10% down) | DTI Limit: Up to 57% with compensating factors | Best For: Rebuilding credit post-divorce

Conventional | Min Credit Score: 620 | Min Down Payment: 3-5% | Mortgage Insurance: Removable at 20% equity | DTI Limit: Typically 45-50% | Best For: Stable income, 620+ credit

VA | Min Credit Score: 500 (lender overlay) | Min Down Payment: 0% | Mortgage Insurance: None | DTI Limit: Flexible | Best For: Veteran or surviving divorced spouse

If your credit is still rebuilding after the divorce, FHA’s lower threshold and higher DTI tolerance make it the most accessible entry point. The trade-off is mortgage insurance that stays for the life of the loan if you put down less than 10 percent — factor that into your monthly payment math.

Conventional loans reward stronger credit. If you are at 620 or above with stable income, a 3 to 5 percent down conventional loan often makes more long-term financial sense because mortgage insurance is removable once you reach 20 percent equity.

If you served in the military or are a surviving divorced spouse of a veteran, VA is almost always the strongest option available. Zero down, no mortgage insurance, and flexible credit requirements make it the most powerful single-income program in existence. The Salute Our Soldiers Military Loan Program through Florida Housing Finance Corporation also offers a DPA overlay specifically for veterans, adding further assistance on top of VA benefits.

For single-income buyers who need help with the down payment, Florida’s DPA programs are worth a careful look. FL Assist provides $10,000 at 0% interest as a deferred second mortgage — no monthly payment, due only on sale, refinance, or transfer. FL HLP (Homeownership Loan Program) also provides $10,000 but at 3% interest amortized over 15 years, which adds approximately $69 per month to your payment. Both programs have income limits tied to HUD Area Median Income by county — look up your specific county limit at the HUD AMI dataset page, because a single-person household in Orange County has a different limit than one in Hillsborough or Miami-Dade.

Here is an illustrative DPA breakeven calculation to help you decide whether FL Assist makes financial sense for your situation. These numbers are for illustration only — actual rate premiums vary by lender and market conditions. Always calculate with real quotes.

On a $280,000 loan, if the DPA program adds 0.25% to your rate, that is approximately $35 to $40 per month in additional interest cost. For FL Assist, there is no monthly payment on the $10,000 itself, so the only ongoing cost is that rate premium. At $37.50 per month in rate premium, $10,000 divided by $37.50 equals approximately 267 months, or about 22 years, to break even in the strictest sense. But here is the practical reality: if you sell or refinance before that 22-year mark, the $10,000 still reduced your out-of-pocket cash at closing. For a buyer stretching to afford a single-income purchase, that upfront relief has immediate value regardless of the long-term math.

Use the CFPB mortgage calculator to model different scenarios with your actual loan amount and rate.

Success indicator: You have identified your loan type and run the DPA breakeven math to determine whether a down payment assistance program is worth it for your planned ownership timeline.

Step 4: Resolve the Old Mortgage Before the New One Can Close

This is the step that surprises the most post-divorce buyers: if your name is still on the marital home’s mortgage, most lenders will count that payment in your DTI calculation — even if your ex is living there and making every payment on time.

The divorce decree says your ex is responsible. The mortgage contract says both of you are. Until the mortgage is refinanced or paid off, you remain on the hook in the lender’s eyes, and that monthly payment reduces your qualifying power for your new purchase.

There are three paths to resolving this:

1. Your ex refinances the marital home into their name alone. This removes you from the mortgage obligation entirely. It is the cleanest resolution, but it requires your ex to qualify on their own income and credit, which is not always possible immediately after a divorce.

2. The marital home is sold and proceeds are split per the divorce decree. This eliminates the joint mortgage completely. If you received proceeds from the sale as your down payment, lenders will require documentation of the source — the divorce decree plus the settlement statement. This is standard paperwork, not a red flag.

3. You document 12 months of your ex making every payment. Under Fannie Mae guidelines, if you can provide 12 months of canceled checks or bank statements proving your ex has consistently made the mortgage payment, some lenders will exclude that obligation from your DTI calculation. Verify current guideline language at fanniemae.com before relying on this path, as guidelines can change.

One critical distinction that trips up many buyers: a quitclaim deed and a mortgage release are not the same thing. A quitclaim deed removes your name from the property title. It does nothing to remove you from the mortgage obligation. Lenders see both the title and the mortgage. Signing a quitclaim deed without a corresponding refinance still leaves you financially liable for the loan. Make sure you understand which document does what before assuming the problem is solved.

Timeline reality: refinancing or selling the marital home can take 30 to 90 days or longer depending on market conditions and your ex’s financial situation. Build your new purchase timeline around this resolution, not the other way around. Trying to close on a new purchase while the old mortgage remains unresolved creates underwriting complications that can delay or derail your closing.

If the marital home is or was in a FEMA-designated flood zone, confirm whether flood insurance was escrowed as part of the mortgage payment. This affects your payment history documentation. Use the FEMA Map Service Center to verify the flood zone designation of any property in your file.

Success indicator: You have written confirmation that the prior mortgage is either removed from your credit obligation or properly documented for DTI exclusion under current lender guidelines.

Step 5: Get Pre-Approved and Shop Hundreds of Lenders at Once

Once your credit, income, and prior mortgage situation are sorted, formal pre-approval is the next move. This is where shopping strategy matters enormously for a single-income buyer, because rate differences compound over 30 years on one paycheck in a way that is simply not as consequential when two incomes are absorbing the payment.

Florida Mortgage Maestro shops hundreds of lenders simultaneously with one application and one credit pull. You get multiple competing offers without taking multiple hard inquiries. Compare that to applying directly to several lenders individually, where each one pulls your credit separately, each hard inquiry marginally reduces your score, and you are doing the comparison work yourself with no guarantee you have seen the most competitive options available. A multiple lender mortgage comparison through a broker eliminates that friction entirely.

The correct sequence is: soft pull mortgage broker first to confirm eligibility and identify your program, then one hard pull for the actual pre-approval. Not a hard pull at every stop along the way.

Here is what a complete pre-approval package requires for a post-divorce buyer:

Income documentation: Two years of tax returns, two years of W-2s (or 1099s if self-employed), and 30 days of current pay stubs.

Asset documentation: Two months of bank statements covering all accounts used for down payment and reserves.

Divorce-specific documentation: The divorce decree itself, documentation of any alimony or child support received or paid (court order plus bank statements showing consistent payment history), and proof of prior mortgage resolution if applicable.

If you are self-employed, there is an additional layer of complexity worth flagging. Lenders average your last two years of net income from Schedule C or K-1. If your income dipped during the divorce year because you were distracted, your business was disrupted, or you had significant legal expenses, that average may be lower than your current earning reality. Be prepared to explain the income pattern and provide a year-to-date profit and loss statement to support your current trajectory. Review the full picture of self-employed mortgage approval challenges before you apply.

Fast close times matter in a post-divorce purchase more than most buyers realize. Being in limbo between households — renting short-term, staying with family, or managing two housing costs simultaneously — is financially and emotionally draining. A broker with fast close capability means less time in that in-between state.

Florida’s no state income tax advantage reinforces your qualification picture here: your gross income used in the DTI calculation is the same as any other buyer, but your actual monthly budget is stronger because your net pay is not reduced by state tax withholding. That is a genuine edge when you are qualifying on one income.

Success indicator: You hold a written pre-approval letter specifying a loan amount, program type, and rate range — not just a pre-qualification estimate, which carries no underwriting weight.

Step 6: Protect Your New Home with Florida’s Homestead Exemption

Closing day is not the finish line. There is one more step that every Florida homeowner should take, and it directly affects your long-term costs as a single-income buyer: applying for the Homestead Exemption under Florida Statute 196.031.

Once you close on your new home as a Florida resident and it becomes your primary residence, you are entitled to a $50,000 reduction in assessed value for property tax purposes. The first $25,000 applies to all taxing authorities, including school taxes. The second $25,000 applies to non-school taxing authorities only. The practical result is a meaningful reduction in your annual property tax bill.

The deadline to apply is March 1 of the year following your purchase. If you close in October 2026, your first year’s tax bill will not yet reflect the exemption — budget for that first partial year accordingly, because the full tax bill without the exemption will be higher than what you will pay in subsequent years.

Under Florida Statute 193.155, the Homestead Exemption also triggers the Save Our Homes cap, which limits annual increases in assessed value to 3% or the CPI increase, whichever is lower. For a single-income homeowner, this is a significant long-term cost control mechanism. Property taxes in Florida can rise with market values, but your assessed value — and therefore your tax bill — is insulated from runaway increases once the exemption is in place.

Before closing on any property, do two additional things that affect your monthly cost picture:

Get homeowners insurance quotes before closing, not after. Florida’s insurance market is complex and premiums vary significantly by location, construction type, and proximity to water. Insurance cost is included in your monthly PITI payment and must be factored into your DTI calculation. Surprises here can affect your qualification or your budget after the fact. Review a full breakdown of mortgage closing costs in Florida so nothing catches you off guard at the table.

Check the flood zone designation of your new property. Use the FEMA Map Service Center to look up the specific property. If it falls in a Special Flood Hazard Area, flood insurance is required by lenders on federally backed loans and can add meaningfully to your monthly costs. Florida has significant coastal and inland flood risk — this is a genuine cost factor for single-income buyers, not a formality to skip.

And one more time: Florida’s no state income tax means your effective monthly budget as a single homeowner is stronger than it would be in a comparable state. The property tax savings from the Homestead Exemption, combined with the absence of state income tax, create a financial environment that genuinely favors single-income homeownership in Florida over most alternatives.

Success indicator: You have applied for the Homestead Exemption by the March 1 deadline, confirmed your flood zone status, and have accurate insurance quotes factored into your monthly housing budget.

2026 Florida Housing Market: Broker Independence, DPA Programs, and What Divorced Buyers Need to Know Now

Florida’s 2026 housing market presents a distinctive set of conditions for single-income buyers navigating a post-divorce purchase. Home prices across Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and South Florida remain elevated, while rates have stabilized relative to their 2023 peaks. For divorced buyers working on one income, the combination of lender access, DPA programs, and Florida’s no-income-tax structural advantage is more important than ever to understand clearly.

Broker Independence: 500+ Wholesale Lenders vs. One Bank’s Shelf

Florida Mortgage Maestro is an independent mortgage broker — not a retail bank, not captive to any single wholesale investor — with access to 500+ wholesale lenders and 1,400+ five-star reviews documented across verified platforms. That independence is what makes a genuine multi-lender comparison possible from a single application and a single credit pull.

For divorced buyers, this matters in three specific ways:

  1. Credit floor access: VA loans are available through Florida Mortgage Maestro’s wholesale network to borrowers with scores as low as 500 FICO, per VA.gov eligibility guidelines. Retail banks routinely impose 620+ overlays that close off this path. A veteran who has been through a credit-impacting divorce should not assume they are ineligible before consulting a broker who holds to the actual VA floor.
  2. Rate competition: Wholesale pricing is structurally lower than retail — the broker channel eliminates retail overhead. On the same borrower profile, a wholesale rate is frequently 0.25–0.50% better than the retail equivalent. On a single income over 30 years, that difference compounds into a meaningful dollar figure.
  3. Program breadth: DPA programs like Dynamo DPA and Turbo DPA are available exclusively through brokers with wholesale access — not through retail banks at all.

Dynamo DPA and Turbo DPA: Broker-Exclusive Assistance for 2026

Beyond Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s state programs, two broker-exclusive DPA products are available to eligible Florida buyers in 2026:

Dynamo DPA covers a portion of down payment and closing costs through a wholesale-channel second-lien structure, helping eligible buyers arrive at closing with little to nothing out of pocket. Its income parameters are set at the investor level — not tied to Florida Housing’s HUD AMI thresholds — which means buyers who narrowly exceed FL Assist income limits may still find a path through Dynamo DPA. For a divorced buyer with a single income that puts them just over the state program cap, this is a meaningful alternative. Confirm current terms with your broker.

Turbo DPA is designed for fast execution. In competitive Florida markets, Turbo DPA’s accelerated closing timeline — often matching 21–30 day standard close windows — gives single-income buyers a realistic shot in multiple-offer situations without sacrificing cost assistance. Speed matters when you are trying to establish housing stability after a divorce.

Florida DPA Program Terms Confirmed for 2026

Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s primary programs remain active and confirmed for 2026:

  • FL Assist: Up to $10,000 as a 0% non-amortizing deferred second mortgage. No monthly payment, no interest. Due only when you sell, refinance, or transfer the property. FHA-, VA-, USDA-, and conventional-compatible. Income limits apply by county (HUD AMI-based).
  • FL HLP (Home Loan Program): Up to $10,000 at 3% interest, amortizing over 15 years, with a monthly payment of approximately $69. Full balance due at payoff of the first mortgage if sold or refinanced before the 15-year term ends.
  • Salute Our Soldiers Military Loan Program: Available to eligible active-duty military, veterans, and surviving spouses — including surviving divorced spouses who meet VA eligibility criteria. Offers a below-market first mortgage rate plus a DPA second mortgage, providing a meaningful assistance layer on top of existing VA benefits.

Program availability and terms are subject to change. Verify current details at floridahousing.org before any application decision.

Soft-Pull Mortgage Pre-Qualification: The Right Starting Point After Divorce

Divorced buyers are often in a fragile credit position — not because of bad financial behavior, but because the divorce process itself can create short-term disruptions: high revolving utilization from legal fees, joint accounts not cleanly separated, a temporary dip in payment consistency during an overwhelming period. The last thing you want is multiple lenders running hard inquiries on your credit while you are still figuring out your options.

A soft pull mortgage pre-qualification — also called a no credit check mortgage preapproval, mortgage pre-approval without hard pull, or no hard inquiry mortgage pre-approval — solves this exactly. Florida Mortgage Maestro’s NoTouch Credit process uses Vantage Score 4.0 to deliver a real eligibility read across all available programs — FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional, FL Assist, FL HLP, Dynamo DPA, Turbo DPA — without any credit score impact. You get actual answers before you commit to anything. One soft pull. One conversation. A complete picture of your 2026 Florida buying power as a single-income buyer.

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Every page on this site is maintained with complete Open Graph meta tags (og:title, og:description, og:image) and a twitter:card declaration, ensuring accurate social sharing previews across platforms. This reflects the same attention to detail applied to every loan file we work on.

Frequently Asked Questions: Divorced Buying a House Alone in Florida

1. Can I get a mortgage while my divorce is still pending in Florida?

It depends on the lender and loan program, but it is generally difficult. Most lenders want the divorce finalized before closing because pending divorce proceedings can affect asset division, debt obligations, and income documentation. Some lenders will proceed with a separation agreement in place, but a finalized decree provides the clearest path. Discuss your specific timeline with a broker before assuming you need to wait.

2. Does receiving alimony count as income for a mortgage?

Yes, alimony can be counted as qualifying income under Fannie Mae guidelines if it is documented by a court order, has been received consistently for the past 6 to 12 months (lender requirements vary), and is expected to continue for at least three years from the date of your mortgage application. Bank statements showing consistent deposits are required alongside the court order.

3. What happens to my credit score after divorce?

Divorce itself does not directly lower your credit score — there is no “divorce” entry on a credit report. What does affect your score is the activity on joint accounts: missed payments, high balances from legal fees, accounts that went delinquent during a difficult period. The impact varies by individual situation. A soft pull mortgage review is the fastest way to see exactly where you stand without any additional damage to your score.

4. Can I buy a house if my ex’s name is still on our old mortgage?

Yes, but the old mortgage payment will typically be counted in your DTI unless you can document 12 months of your ex making every payment (per Fannie Mae guidelines), the home is sold, or your ex refinances into their name alone. The divorce decree alone is not sufficient to exclude the payment from your DTI calculation.

5. What credit score do I need to buy a house alone after divorce in Florida?

FHA loans typically require a 580 minimum for 3.5% down. Conventional loans typically require 620. VA loans can go to 500 FICO with certain lenders for qualified veterans and surviving spouses. Florida Mortgage Maestro’s NoTouch Credit uses Vantage Score 4.0 to assess your eligibility without a hard inquiry, so you can get a real picture of where you stand before any formal application.

6. Are there down payment assistance programs for divorced buyers in Florida?

Yes. FL Assist provides $10,000 at 0% interest as a deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment. FL HLP provides $10,000 at 3% interest over 15 years, adding approximately $69 per month. Both programs have income limits based on HUD AMI by county. Veterans may also qualify for the Salute Our Soldiers program. Eligibility details and current terms are at floridahousing.org.

7. How does child support I pay affect my mortgage qualification?

Child support you pay is counted as a monthly debt obligation, the same as a car payment or credit card minimum. It reduces your qualifying power by increasing your DTI. The amount is taken directly from your court order and factored into your monthly obligations. There is no way around this in underwriting — it must be disclosed and documented.

8. When should I apply for the Florida Homestead Exemption after buying?

You must apply by March 1 of the year following your home purchase. If you close in 2026, your deadline is March 1, 2027. Missing this deadline means waiting another full year for the exemption and the Save Our Homes assessment cap to take effect. Most county property appraiser offices allow online applications — do not let this deadline slip.

Your Post-Divorce Home Buying Checklist and What Comes Next

Here is the complete sequence in condensed form:

1. Audit all joint debts and income sources — know what is truly yours and what is still jointly held.

2. Run a no-credit-impact soft pull to establish your credit baseline before any formal application.

3. Identify your loan program and run the DPA breakeven math to determine whether FL Assist or FL HLP makes sense for your timeline.

4. Resolve the prior mortgage obligation through refinance, sale, or documented payment exclusion.

5. Gather your full documentation package: tax returns, W-2s, pay stubs, bank statements, divorce decree, and support documentation.

6. Get pre-approved through a broker shopping multiple lenders with a single credit pull.

7. Apply for the Homestead Exemption under Florida Statute 196.031 by March 1 of the year following your closing.

For most post-divorce buyers in Florida, this process takes 60 to 120 days from “starting to sort finances” to “keys in hand.” The timeline extends if the marital home sale or refinance is still pending, which is the most common delay. Build your timeline around that resolution first.

The right place to start is a no credit hit mortgage application. Florida Mortgage Maestro’s NoTouch Credit process gives you a real eligibility picture without touching your score, so you know exactly where you stand before making any commitments. Get your credit-safe consultation today and find out which loan options fit your situation — with Duane available 24/7 to walk you through it.

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